CHAPTER 74 Pink Meadow
Fire
The smell of bloodsuckers overpowered the smell of the forest.
*Neutral ground*, *my ass*.
While we were walking inside the dense, dark forest, I touched the Jade Box to awaken the Flaming Sword. I wasn't going to take any chances. I did vow to save Drew's grandmother, but I also needed to make sure most of us survived. In wolf form, the trek back to the territory would be a quick one, but with bloodsuckers chasing after us, it would mean our deaths.
As we approached the clearing, the priestess performed her invisibility spell. She warned us that we needed to act quickly since her magic was not strong enough to keep a big group of wolves invisible for an indefinite period of time.
I walked ahead, entering the Pink Meadow. I was surprised to find the pink flowers encased in ice, making the flowers sparkle under the dim light of the sun. Snow began to fall as I neared the center of the meadow where a group of vampires stood.
I casted a shield charm as I walked, something I remembered from one of Ying Yue's visions. It began as a haze which quickly disappeared.
I stopped about a few yards away from where the Blood King and his nobility stood. Beside him was the Duke, the Marquess, the Baron and the Earl. Missing was the Viscount. I assumed he was at a distance as a sniper.
The Vampire King smiled malevolently at me.
"I'm here. Where is Alpha Drew's grandmother? I asked.
"Somewhere," he answered dismissively.
"That wasn't the agreement," I said, irked. I took out one of my guns from its holster and pointed it at the Earl. I noticed my hand was emitting a faint blue light. I was anxious and irritated.
"Put down the gun, Enchantress," the Duke said. "I'll have the Long Matriarch brought here."
"Hurry the hell up, Duke. I don't have all day," I said, still pointing my gun at the Earl. The Earl raised his hands in surrender, his red eyes though didn't look afraid at all. I pointed my gun at the snow by his feet and shot a round. He jumped and this time, he looked scared.
"Eldest. I am now the Eldest of the East Coven Stronghold. Enchantress, calm down," he urged. I took out my other gun and pointed it at him.
"If you want to become another former Eldest, then less talk, more action. Bring out Grandma Ling," I commanded. "No? My trigger finger is getting really itchy. I can start shooting at the Earl and work my way up."
He raised his hand in the air and from within their side of the forest, a blurry figure dashed towards them.
A vampire carrying the Long Matriarch suddenly came into view beside the Eldest. Her hands and feet were bounded while her mouth was gagged. Although she was bound and gagged, she looked fine and appeared to have been taken care of.
The bloodsucker, who carried the elderly woman on his shoulder, whispered something into the Marquess' ear. The Marquess looked at me, shocked.
"Where is she? Where is my wife?" He exclaimed loudly. I thought I detected a bit of happiness in his voice. "Tabitha, show yourself!"
My aunt rushed forward from the forest and stood beside me, smiling and waving at the Marquess. I thought he would become angry, but he smiled. I glanced at my aunt with a puzzled expression on my face. He loved her? Oh wow!
"If Albert is the Eldest, I assume, Stefan, you are the new Duke," my aunt said politely.
"Where have you been?" Stefan, the new Duke, asked. All these changes in rank among the nobility of the vampires had gotten me confused.
"Taking care of Fire," my aunt answered. "I am her Aunt Tabby."
All the vampires gasped, including the new Eldest. I smirked, remembering one of my aunt's memories. Well, he had to keep up appearances after all.
"Yes, yes...how touching," the Vampire King scoffed. "Bring me the Enchantress and I will turn over the Long Matriarch. This I order you, Duchess Tabitha Acheron. NOW!"
My aunt took my arm and yanked me towards the bloodsuckers. There was no way she could refuse the commands of the Vampire King.
"Grandma Ling," I mind-linked Drew's grandmother, "during the exchange, I need you to place a protection charm over the wolves behind me."
"The wolves behind you?" Finally, someone from Drew's side has connected with me.
"They are hidden by a invisibility charm which will not hold for long," I mind-linked back. I heard her laughter in my mind.
"I knew it. These bloodsuckers lack imagination," she said, through mind-link. "I'll put one up after I'm untied."
As my aunt and I walked towards them, I could see the delight in the Vampire King's eyes while he gazed at my blank face. I needed to keep the poker face up. Drew was behind me ready to cut of the heads of the nobility leaving my aunt to become queen. Although there was a West Coven Stronghold to contend with, they hardly did anything. My aunt will be able to create a pact with them, ultimately creating peace.
The exchange was about to happen when I heard two shots fired. A stake hit the Vampire King turning him immediately into ash while a silver bullet hit the shield charm I put up, ricocheting backward, hitting Drew's grandmother on her shoulder.
I heard the Vampire King yell "No!" before he vanished before us. Albert and Stefan were more concerned with Grandma Ling rather than the death of the Vampire King. They quickly took the binds off her wrists and legs and removed her gag, so she could be comfortable.
The Baron was the only one who gasped in horror as the ashes of the Vampire King blew away with the wind. The Earl, on the other hand, laughed hysterically. I lifted my gun and shot the Earl.
I watched as he turned into ash alongside his king.
"I didn't like his smile," I told my aunt who looked at me incredulously.
Drew suddenly appeared, the blue flame of his sword shining brightly.
"Bring me the vampire who shot my grandmother and I will spare your lives!" Drew yelled.
"The Viscount is up on that hill," the new Duke said looking downward and raising his hands in surrender. "He is your assassin."
"Without the Vampire King, we cannot summon him," the new Eldest said, also averting his eyes. "Alpha Drew Long-Drago, we will bring you the Viscount, just please calm down."
Another shot was fired, so I moved my hands, trying to expand the shield. It worked and the bullet bounced off of it without anyone getting hurt.
As the effects of the invisibility spell wore off, the High Elder and the others emerged. Elder Drache lifted Grandma Ling off the ground while Kai Long, acting angry over his mother's injury, howled. Mark punched him in the face so he would stop.
"We will kill you, Enchantress," Kai Long snarled at me, his beady eyes filled with fury. "Every wolf here believes you shot my mother."
"I should kill you, but I want to see you suffer," I told him, then I called out to my aunt. "Aunt Tabby, buckle up. We have wolves on the loose."
I heard the wolves growling and the unmistakable hissing sounds of the bloodsuckers while they all ran towards us at the center of the Pink Meadow.
I threw one of my guns at the High Elder and the other at Alexander. Drew, Mark and Tyler were standing side by side, ready for the onslaught.
I dropped my backpack to the ground to look for the extra gun I brought with me. While I rummaged through my bag, I suddenly felt fear.
My hands started to emit a bright light. I stood up, staring at my hands. Small blue orbs of light flashed repeatedly from my fingertips towards the creatures barreling towards us.
I redirected my hands towards the bloodsucker side of the forest, releasing more small blue orbs of light from my fingertips, delighting at the sound of their screams as they were electrocuted before bursting into blue flames and burning into nothingness.
While the wolves tried to stop the bloodsuckers, my aunt and the vampire nobility tried to stop the wolves, throwing them across the meadow, slashing their faces and bodies with their claws or breaking their necks. The new Duke even used one wolf as a bowling ball, knocking out several wolves in its path.
But it wasn't good enough. There was just too many of them.
Thunder suddenly rumbled and lightning flashed across the dark sky above us.
"All of you...stop this madness!"